Liquid dispensing apparatus



May 15, 1956 G. A. HUNTER LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed June 25,1950 lbllbllbllpl INI'ENTOR.

026: .4. l/z/zvrae filler/w y United States Patent LIQUID DESPENSINGAPPARATUS George A. Hunter, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application June 23, 1950, Serial No. 169,921

9 Claims. (Ci. 222-189) This invention relates in general to dispensersfor liquids of diiferent specific gravity and viscosity but moreparticularly to and has for an object the provision of an apparatus fordispensing lubricating oils.

More specifically other objects are:

To provide an oil storage tank and a pressurized dispensing receptaclesubmerged inthe oil-of 'the'storage tank and arranged to permit normalcommunication between the tank and receptacle so as to assure anadequate quantity of oil in the receptacle until the levelof oil in thetank descends to a predetermined stage, and manually controlledpneumatically efiective mean for closing communication between the tankand the receptacle while simultaneously applying pressure to anddispensing'desired quantities of oil from the receptacle.

To provide combined mechanical and pneumatic means including a series ofvalves including a pressure applicator unit cooperative upon actuationof a manually operated member for directing a flow of compressed airfrom a source through channels controlled by said valves preliminary tothe direct application of pressure to said receptacle in each dispensingoperation.

To provide means under control of one of said valves for exhausting airand any oil resident in' the air passages into the storage tank in sucha manner as to prevent agitation of the stored oil.

To provide means for scavenging moisture from the air prior tointroduction of the air to said receptacle.

To adapt the pressure regulating unit to ready adjustment for limitingthe appliedpressure to the dispensable oil.

To provide means externally of the dispensingreceptacle-either withinthe storage tank or at the mouth of a suitable dispensing nozzle, or atboth locationsfor-sustaining a column of oil between the receptacleand'the nozzle so as to assure the presence of oil at the nozzle at alltimes preparatory to a dispensing operation.

And to otherwise arrange and connect the several units in such a manneras to reliably operate separately in succession or together as may berequired by the operation of a single actuator.

Still other objects may appear as the description progresses.

l have shown a preferred form and arrangement or" units and parts of myimproved dispenser in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a sectional elevation of the assembled dispenser;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the pressure controlmechanism with parts thereof differently positioned than in Fig.1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional View of the dispensing nozzle; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the nozzle in the plane of line 44 of Fig.3.

Briefly described, my dispenser includes an 'oil storage tank T in thebottom of WhlCh'I providea'pressur'ized receptacle T adapted to besubmerged in the oil of tank 2,745,574 Patented May 15, 1956 T and innormal communication with said tank as by means of orifices or ports 2in the wall of a neck 3 which is upturned from bottom 4 of the tank andextends into receptacle'T and forms a seat for a foot valve disc Vwhicliis normally open.

Valve V has astern 5 'slidable in a cylinder 6 fixed to top Wall 7 ofreceptacle T and depending into said receptacle in axial alinement withvalve V, said cylinder being cohnectedas by means of a coupling 8 with apressure supply tube P leading to the operating and control mechanism ina superposed housing H at the top of tank T, in the manner and for thepurpose hereinafter described: Valve V is urged upwardly by a spring 9which is compressed between said valve and bottom 4 of tankT.

Tank Tis separated from the control chamber 10 or" housing H by a topwall 7 having a fitting opening 11 therein forwardly'of said housingcovered by a removable cap 12 and a 'screen'13. Within chamber ill Imount all of the control mechanism except foot valve V, includinganair-inlet'valve A, a pressure applicator unit -R, anexhau'st'valve E afilter F and a moisture extractor M.

Compressed air from a source is conducted to a chamber 14 of valveA'through a flexible tube 15 and from thence under control of a valvedisc 16 through a passage 17 into a 'chamber'lfi ofapplicator R above adiaphragm 19 supported ina body 26). Disc 16 has a stem 21 extendedthrough passage 17, the lower end of Which-overlies diaphragm 39 inchamber 13 and a spring 2355 compressed betweena shoulder in a housingmember- 24 at the uppe'rend of asub-cham'ber 25 and disc 16 so as-to-constantly urge disc16 onto its seat at the upper end of passage fland at the same time, by pressure of stem 211m diaphragm 19; maintainsaid diaphragmnormally in a horizontal plane and undistended.

Valve 'body 24 and body29 are suitably'secured together so thatthecylindrical portion 27 is vertically slidable in-anannularguide 28'of'a bracket 29 extend'ed inwardly from a wall 30' of housing H. Bodyportion 27 of-said applicator Rforms 'a cylinder with a bore "31in'which vertically spaced discs 32 and 33 are slidable and betweenwhicha 'springGdis compressed'o'r compressible. -Upper disc 32 bears againstdiaphragm l9 and tends'at times todeform and distend the diaphragmupwardly while stem 21 under the influence of air? pres sure applied tovalve disc 16, tends to maintain the-diaphragm in ahorizontal plane.

Under control'of valve disc 16 air is conducted from passage 17 to andthrough a pressure tube 35 to an air inlet 36' of cylinder 37 of unit Min which a piston 38 is slidable relative to an inlet 39 of the filterF, said piston being urged to retracted position (to the right of inlet39) by a compression spring 48 so mounted in cylin' der 37 as to bearagainstpiston 38. Thus, when valve A is open to the passage of air totube 35, pressure is applied to and extends piston 38 outwardly beyondinlet 39 against the tension of spring 40 so that air may flow into alower chamber 41 of unit F and thence through a porous'filter 42 into anupper chamber 43 and then through a peripherallyperforated tube 44 and aconnecting tube 45 into the upper'portion of a pressure tube P to andfor closing foot valve V in the manner hereinafter described.

It is apparent that as the air is filtered in unit F it is robbed 'ofits moisture and the moisture collected in cylinder 37 a'head'of thenormally retracted piston 38 is exhausted through an outlet tube 46 tothe atmosphere at a point outwardlyof'housing H at each stroke of thepiston.

Valve-body 29 of unit R and the connected body 24 of unitAaredepressible bodily together by actuation "ofasuitable'operatingmember 0 which is hinged ar -l7 to the rear wall 30 ofhousing H and extends forwardly through and in front of front wall 48-ofsaid housing and above a dispensing spout S. Within said housing, memberoverlies and engages a teat 49 at the topof unit A so that when theforward portion of member 0 is depressed the units A and R will becorrespondingly depressed for the purpose hereinbefore stated.

Thus, as member 0 is actuated pressure is applied to valve stem incylinder 6 which closes valve V on its seat at the top of neck 3 andopens a port or ports 50 in cylinder .6 below top 7 of receptacle T soas to dis charge air into the'receptacle above the liquid and therebyforce oil upwardly through a supply tube D to and outwardly throughspout S and nozzle N. Of course oil will continue to flow from nozzle Nas long as member 0 is depressed. A check valve C may be connected totube D at a point above receptacle T for always maintaining a column ofoil in tube D either apart from or in addition to a suitable dischargevalve N in nozzle N which the tank is filled with oil.

Exhaust valve unit E has a body 53 with chambers 54 and 55 separated bya partition 56 having an opening 57 adapted to be closed at times by adisc valve 58, an inlet 59 connecting tube P with chamber 55, an outlet60 connecting tube 51 with chamber 54, and a spring 61 bearing againstvalve disc 58 and tending to open said valve.

Valve disc 58 is connected with disc 33 of unit R by a stem 62 so thatas pressure is applied through unit A to body 20 of unit R, the initialmovement of member 0 will bodily depress units A and R and through disc33.

also will depress stem 62 and close valve disc 58 on its seat. Valve 16being always suificiently unseated as to allow bleeding of airtherearound, simultaneously with the closing of the exhaust valve 58,air will be injected into tube 35 and thence through units M and F totube P to close the foot valve V.

Stem 62 loosely carries two collars 63 and 64 between I which a spring65 is compressed so as to provide a yield able and resilient connectionbetween units R and E also to restore units A and R to normallyuppermost positions after member 0 has been released. Tension of spring65 operates to close valve 58 and the downstroke of units A and R may belimited as by lock nuts 66 and 67 adjustable on stem 62.

Spout S is provided with a downwardly turned nozzle N above opening 11in the tank but sufliciently spaced therefrom to permit insertion of areceptacle on cap'12 or screen 13 to catch the oil as it is dischargedfrom the spout and with the receptacle removed, so that drippingsfromthe spout will fall into the tank through opening 11.

As shown in Fig. 3, a valve as at N, may be inserted in the end ofnozzle N'and may include a fitting 70 with a nipple 71 threaded into thenozzle and bored at 72 through said nipple, a head 73 abutting the endof the nozzle and counterbored at 74, with the valve N seated in saidcounterbore for regulating discharge of oil through an opening 75affording communication between bore 72 and counterbore 74. Valve N hasa stem 76 extended through opening 75 into the nozzle and carries aspring 77 compressed between a collar 78 fixed to the stem and a wall 79between bore 72 and counterbore 74.

Thus spring 77 urges the valve to closed'position and is operable todischarge oil from the spout by pressure of the outflowing oil whichnecessarily overcomes the power of said spring and permits the oil toflow around the valve. to serve as a check valve in lieu of valve C, oras hereinbefore stated, one or the other or both valves N and C may beemployed as desired.

I prefer to provide one or more screens 89 and 81 in V spout S,preferably of fine and coarser mesh, respectively, and readily removablewhen the valve assembly N is removed, for cleaning out the collectedparticles of rela- Additionally, the invention embodies novel structuralunits and arrangement for filtering and extraction of moisture from theair and straining the dispensed liquid.

I claim:

1. A liquid dispenser comprising: a frame, a receptacle submerged in atank of liquid for holding a'quantity of liquid and formed with a valvecontrolled inlet and an outlet for a liquid, a dispensing spout on saidframe at a substantial elevation above and connected with the liquidoutlet of said receptacle, said receptacle having an air inlet, acontrol mechanism on said frame including an air intake valve connectedwith a source of compressed air and with the air inlet of saidreceptacle, an exhaust valve connected with the air inlet of saidreceptacle, simultaneously operable air and liquid valves axially alinedfor regulating the flow of liquid and air respectively to saidreceptacle, a manually operable member borne by said 'frame andoperatively engageable with and for bodily moving the air intake valverelative to the exhaust valve for opening the air valve of saidreceptacle to pressurize the liquid and prevent flow of liquid to thereceptacle while liquid is being dispensed from said spout at eachoperation of said manually operable member.

2. A liquid dispenser as characterized in claim 1 having a storage tankfor liquid in the bottom of which said receptacle is mounted andsubmerged in the contents of said tank arranged so that liquid from thetank may normally enter the receptacle through the liquid inlet of thereceptacle, and said liquid inlet valve being normally open to thereceptacle, and means for closing said liquid inlet valve in response tothe opening of said air valve to prevent flow of liquid from said tankto said dispensing receptacle when .said air inlet valve is opened.

3. A liquid dispenser comprising a storage tank for.

liquid, a dispensing receptacle mounted and submerged in the contents ofsaid tank, a liquid inlet valve for regulating flow of liquid from thetank into the receptacle, and a normally open air inlet valve'at the airinlet to the recepthe air pressure to said stem for opening the liquidvalve 7 and closing the air inlet valve. 7

4. A liquid dispenser as characterized in claim 1' including a pressureunit secured to and bodily moved with said air intake valve and alsoconnected with and adapted to close said exhaust valve on the initialmovement of the air intake and pressure unit in a dispensing operationso Valve N may be constructed and arranged as to retain pressure in theconnection between the air intake valve and the receptacle.

5. A liquid dispenser as (haracterized in claim 1 including a pressureunit secured to and bodily moved with said air intake valve and alsoconnected with and adapted to close said exhaust valve on the initialmovement of the air intake and pressure unit in a dispensing operationso as to retain pressure in the connection between the air intake valveand the receptacle, the connection between said pressure unit and saidexhaust valve including a compression spring operative to restore theelements of said unit and said air intake valve to normal positions uponrelease of pressure and simultaneous opening of the exhaust valve forrelieving pressure in the air connection to the receptacle.

6. In a liquid dispenser of the character described and including adispensing receptacle and air control means therefor: an air intakevalve, a moisture extracting unit directly connected with said airintake valve and with an air chamber for collecting moisture, a cylinderbetween the air intake valve and said chamber, and a piston slidable insaid cylinder relative to a port between said chamber and said cylinder,said cylinder having an outlet for discharging moisture to theatmosphere upon each opening of the air intake valve.

7. In a liquid dispenser of the character described and including adispensing receptacle and air control means therefor: an air intakevalve, a moisture extracting unit directly connected with said airintake valve and with an air chamber for collecting moisture, a cylinderbetween the air intake valve and said chamber, and a piston slidable insaid cylinder relative to a port between said chamber and said cylinder,said cylinder having an outlet for discharging moisture to theatmosphere upon each opening of the air intake valve, said chamberhaving an air outlet connected with the air inlet valve of saidreceptacle, and a pervious filter in said chamber between said chamberoutlet and said cylinder.

8. In a liquid dispenser as charactedized in claim 6 an air filterconnected with and between said air intake valve and said receptacle.

9. A liquid dispenser as defined in claim 1 including a pressureapplicator unit secured to and bodily movable with said air intakevalve, said applicator being connected to said exhaust valve for closingthe same upon initial movement of said applicator in a dispensingoperation so as to retain pressure in the connector between said airintake valve and the receptacle, said applicator being axially alignedwith and intreposed between said air intake and exhaust valves andincluding an actuator for said air intake valve energizable to unseatsaid air intake valve subsequently to the seating of said exhaust valve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,404,670 Wagner Jan. 24, 1922 2,118,381 Hunter May 24, 1938 2,520,398Hanks Aug. 29, 1950

